


Next Order of Business

by ShaneVansen



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Romance, post-ep
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-27
Updated: 2011-09-27
Packaged: 2017-10-24 02:15:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/257764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaneVansen/pseuds/ShaneVansen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's afraid of making a mistake.  <i>Business as Usual</i> post-ep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next Order of Business

**Author's Note:**

> As ever, huge thanks go to Beta Extraordinaire and Enabler of All Things Haven, December21st. Seriously, you have no idea how much better she makes these things. And as always, any remaining errors or lousy parts (exhibit one: the title) belong to me.

She manages to slip into the _Herald_ 's offices without being seen and leans back against the wall, mostly hidden in shadow.

In spite of the fact that the meeting's being held in the newspaper's headquarters, there's no sign of the Teagues brothers. There are fewer people than she would have thought, but it's clear that those who bothered to come did so with something to say; within just a few minutes, every person in the room but one has spoken at least once, the noise in the room increasing steadily as they all try to prove their points through sheer volume.

Her gaze is drawn, perhaps inevitably, to the one person who's been silent in the time she's been there. Nathan's back is to her, his profile visible only when he turns his head to watch others speak, but she can tell by the set of his shoulders that he's worried about the tone the meeting has taken.

The loud talking devolves into shouting and cursing and angry gestures as those in attendance divide into three distinct camps, all determined to bring the others around to their way of thinking: those who want to lie low until things blow over, those who want to flee Haven until the Troubles are gone, and those who think it's time to fight back.

Even Dwight can't seem to quiet the room; apparently looking like a Viking doesn't always guarantee people will listen. Audrey's wondering if she should step in or if her presence will just make things worse – which, unfortunately, she thinks it will – when Nathan stands. It takes him a few minutes but he manages to calm everyone down, gets them back in their seats and listening, however grudgingly.

"This is our town too," he tells them. "The Troubled have been here as long as Haven has existed and we're not going to start running. But we have to be smart about it," he adds, staring down a man who's started making noises again about fighting back. "Don't go looking for problems with the unafflicted. If you think you might hurt someone because of your Trouble, come see me or Detective Parker; we can help you. If someone's threatening you, come see us. In the meantime, we need to stick together."

There's more grumbling. A few people look like they'd rather go hunting – and not for deer – instead of sitting around and waiting, but Audrey can see that he has most of the others at least considering his words. For all that her partner hates public speaking, he's a damn good leader, and she's never been more proud of him than she is in this moment.

The meeting breaks up not too long after that and people start to leave, singly and in pairs; from her spot in the shadows, Audrey watches them go and makes mental notes about those she thinks might cause problems not too far down the line. Nathan's caught up in a conversation with Beatrice, whom Audrey has just noticed, and ends up being one of the last to leave. When he's done, she steps away from where she's been leaning to meet him at the door.

He catches sight of her from halfway across the room, and the way his whole face lights up makes something flip over in her stomach. "Hey," she says when he's close enough, and can't help but smile up at him.

"Didn't expect to see you here."

"I wanted to talk to you," she tells him, and watches some of the light fade from his expression.

"Everything okay?" he asks, and she almost wants to laugh.

"'Okay' is a relative term these days," she says with a wry smile, and tips her head in the direction of the door. "Walk with me?"

Outside, there's a light breeze taking the edge off the heat that's been lingering for days now. Audrey slides her hands in her pockets; beside her, Nathan does the same as they pick a direction and start walking.

"How'd the meeting go?" she asks halfway down the block. She caught the end, of course, but she wants his take on things.

"I don't know," he admits. "They're scared, and people do stupid things when they're afraid. Any good that was accomplished tonight, it won't take much to undo it."

"They know we'll help them, if we can. Maybe that will be enough to make a difference."

"I hope so." He glances over at her. "Did you talk to Lucy?"

"Yeah."

"And? Did you get your answers?"

She remembers the way he looked at her when he told her he hoped she'd find her answers, and that she'd come back to tell him. She wonders if he understands what her promise to return to him meant; she's never made that sort of promise before. Maybe more to the point, she's never had anyone who _wanted_ that kind of promise from her before.

"Some," she says. "Mostly, now there are more questions." She fills him in on what Lucy told her, about having her memories duplicated and people who wanted to erase her.

"I guess they succeeded," she says. "But Lucy said that before they found me, I'd found a way to stop the Troubles once and for all. Somebody died, and it led to me finding out about some kind of secret."

"The Colorado Kid?"

"Maybe." She hadn't even thought of that. "It fits."

He's watching her now, looking worried. "You need to be careful, Audrey. Things were bad enough before, but with the Rev gone it's gotten even worse. There's nothing to stop the same people who found you before from finding you again."

The thought's crossed her mind, too, somewhere on the drive back to Haven, in between thinking about why someone wanted her gone so badly and how she might stop the Troubles and what she'd say to Nathan when she saw him again. She hasn't had a moment's quiet since the Pierces left and Nathan handed over the next piece of the cryptic puzzle that forms her past.

"I know." Pulling her hand out of her pocket, she slips her fingers into the crook of his elbow and walks a little closer. He falters a moment in his steps, but otherwise doesn't react. "There's something else. Duke's father was the one sent to find me last time. Duke thinks he was working with the Rev, but he doesn't know why they wanted me gone. It's one of the things Driscoll had promised to share before I shot him."

Nathan tenses and stops walking, bringing her to a halt as well. "Simon Crocker was working with the Rev to find and erase you," he repeats flatly. His expression hardens. "I knew Duke couldn't be trusted. You don't see him without me there, got it?"

"Nathan, this is _Duke_ we're talking about." She opts to overlook the fact that he's trying to give her orders. "He's not his father any more than you are yours. I don't need backup every time I want to talk to him."

"Audrey—"

" _Nathan_." She pulls her hand from his arm so she can turn to look at him straight on. "Cut it out. You know him; Duke is not going to hurt me."

He's just staring at her, and for a moment she thinks he won't back down. Then he sighs and glances away. "Just... be careful, okay?"

"Of course." That's easy enough to agree to, and it seems to be enough to reassure Nathan, because his shoulders relax and he looks less defensive.

The wind's picking up, and a gust blows her hair in her face. Before she can brush it away he's reaching for her, tucking her hair behind her ear, and in the space of a few pounding heartbeats the almost angry tension between them shifts into another kind of awareness altogether.

She doesn't know what to do with this. _You're not just my partner_ doesn't necessarily mean _I want you naked in my bed as often as possible_ ; they're friends, good friends, and she's known a lot of partners who've never had that. But she spent a good amount of the drive to Lucy's remembering how he's been around her lately and putting together the signs she's somehow missed until today. And the way he's looking at her right now, the palm of his hand still resting along her jaw, well, that's a pretty good clue too. Still, she's afraid of making a mistake.

Nathan solves the problem for her by sliding his hand behind her neck and leaning down. Rising up on her toes, she meets him halfway.

It's so much better than before. Audrey doesn't regret what she did earlier – she's pretty sure they wouldn't be here right now if she hadn't given in to that impulse – but he was so startled by her actions that he never had the chance to kiss her back; he never even really touched her. Now, though, one hand is cradling the back of her head while the other is flat against the small of her back, pressing her closer as his mouth moves with hers. It's slow, and quiet, and nothing like she imagined.

She has no idea how long they're there, kissing in the middle of the sidewalk; it's late enough that there's no one to interrupt them. After, neither of them lets go; his hand's still pressed to her lower back, hers wrapped around his neck and arm, and she's pretty sure the smile on her face is nothing short of ridiculous. But that's okay because he's got a goofy grin on his face too, and she thinks it might be the happiest she's ever seen him. There's something humbling about knowing it's because of her.

"Audrey," he starts, and his voice is low, rougher than usual. He looks like he's going to say something else but instead shakes his head. "We should--" He tips his head back in the direction of the _Herald_. She nods her agreement. It's late; so much so that it's a safe bet she's going to be tired tomorrow. But as she takes Nathan's hand and tucks herself against his side as they start back, Audrey already knows she isn't going to be able to sleep tonight. Somehow, though, she thinks she won't have much of a problem convincing Nathan to keep her company.

 _\--end--_


End file.
